Susan in TN Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Remind me again how to get my 5 kids to clean up after themselves without having to follow them around all day? I know some of you know the trick and brain is too frustrated and overwhelmed to remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 The trick is to have children who are innately tidy. I have some of each. I can tell everything a certain child has touched or used for the entire day because none of it is put back away correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I'm thinking when they move out, I won't be cleaning up as much. Probably not what you were looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Tazers? I got nothing. I have to point out each.and.every. piece I want picked up and put away. Gah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Not sure it can be done. I've been working on it for a decade now :mad: . I think the only way is to have naturally neat children or to constantly supervise them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 The trick is to have children who are innately tidy. I have some of each. I can tell everything a certain child has touched or used for the entire day because none of it is put back away correctly. I sooo relate. I have some of each as well. Today the insanely tidy accidentally bumped over a cup (from the kitchen cabinet) that the carelessly sloppy was using for water color painting and left on the floor...in the family room, at the coffee table. Could she have used an old cup, painted at the kitchen table, left the water on a safer surface, not mixed her paints on a saucer from the same kitchen cabinets. Yep..... She then pitched a hissy fit when 'insanely tidy' told her she should clean up the mess because she feels strongly that it wasn't her fault....... Fortunately 'insanely tidy' figured it was more improtant to get the water off the laminate flooring rather than argue with 'insanely sloppy'. Did I mention they were 20 and 22? Yeah, it doesn't really get better. :sneaky2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 You asked me on the wrong day, LOL. My kids are amazingly efficient at making a mess. It rarely occurs to them to clean any of it up. I think locking them in separate empty cells would help somewhat .... Actually we are not usually this bad because they usually don't spend a lot of time hanging around the house without assigned work to do. But the flip side of that is that we haven't spent time developing neat habits for when they are home. When we do have time, I force the issue that they need to pick up the mess they are finished with before they create a new mess. I am so not fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Mine go through phases and unfortunately they are never in sync (and sometimes neither is tidy - like now). I have to stay aware and remind them to do certain things. I don't see that changing as I, an adult, still have to sometimes be reminded by the build up of certain chores I hate. I will say my dds are really good about cleaning when I ask/remind them so at least there is no arguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Mine aren't neat, and nor am I. While I'm not good at cleaning, I am good at delegating jobs to kids. They are a bit neater now that they have responsibility for the clean up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I find that things get neater when they become teens and fall in love with their rooms. Their rooms may be worse for the wear, but the rest of the house looks nice. Sadly, I keep my kitchen tidy by controlling the meals. If I fall behind, and they fend for themselves, it gets messy. Honestly, my kids and DH aren't messy, but they're not naturally helpful either. One teen isn't physically able to do much and the other is frantically busy with high school. I guess I just rode it out until they got neater and I got more efficient. They're 14 and 17 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemiSweet Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 The trick is to have children who are innately tidy. I have some of each. I can tell everything a certain child has touched or used for the entire day because none of it is put back away correctly. This exactly. One child leaves a trail of devastation behind her everywhere she goes. No amount of nagging can make her not do it, but I do make her pick it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 By pushing the routine over and over and over until it's ingrained in their heads and muscles. Get up from the table, clear your plate. I assign each of the four older children an area of the house to tidy and vacuum every afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Training. Set chore times. Periodic reminders. Check their work and make them do it again, and again, and again, and again until it's correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 My messiest is currently rocking his daily cleaning. Why? We just moved and we have a park at the end of our culdesac. He WANTS to go there. A lot. So, chores and schoolwork must be completed before he can go. He is making sure his bed is made and his clothes are put away before he even steps out of his room for breakfast! So, in short, he's found his own motivation and I'm just riding along. It also helps that he's not at home in the afternoon to make too much mess. I have not changed anything. The rules were the same in our old house. But I was constantly nagging and setting timers and frustrated because he couldn't get it together. So... Yeah. They have to want to. :-/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Creating a clean up time before meal time policy? At least that is what works for my kid who asks about the next day's meals at supper each night! :P For my screen addicted child saying the PS3 will not turn on until after things are clean works. For my other child.......... I've looked into shock collars. Apparently CPS frowns on those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 OK - for the most part you all are decidedly unhelpful. But I do love you for reminding me that I am not alone. I think I will try a milder version of a shock collar and make them all wear obnoxiously gaudy necklaces that say "Leave No Trace". Thanks to Scouting, they ALL know what that means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Double stick tape. Wrap it all around them, they stuff they touch sticks to them and to get it off, they have to put it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Checklists to be complete before mealtimes? Food is a big motivator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Okay, I do have one suggestion. I have a laundry basket that once a day I walk through the house with and collect anything that my sweet cherubs have left laying about. If they want to reclaim an item they must complete an extra chore. At the end of each month the items left in the basket are donated or tossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymonster Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 I make mine go OUTSIDE. If they aren't in the house to mess it up, it is not so bad. I'm dreading the rainy season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 Nagging. There, I said it. I nag. My kids are pigs. All of them. And we've been working at them since they were toddlers, walking beside them and helping them pick up their toys and put them away. And nothing works. So, they have to clean their zones before video game time, and if they aren't clean..."pick up that Lego." , " there's a piece of trash" , "shoes don't go under the couch" blah, blah, blah! I hate it. But it's either that or do it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Mine are still fairly little... 8, 7, 6, 4 and 1. Things usually start out clean in the morning and by evening there are toys and random items all over the house. The 1 year old makes more than her fair share of messes. I can't even have dish towels hanging on the oven door because she walks by and throws them on the floor for no apparent reason. We save the bulk of the cleaning for our "after dinner" chores when we do dishes and everything gets picked up off the floor and put back in the toy box. Anyone who refuses to participate in after dinner chores doesn't get breakfast the next morning until their chore is done. Sometimes in the middle of the day if the messes are getting to me I'll offer up some sort of bribe. Like during swim season all their crap has to go back where it belongs before they can go swimming. And I'll even suggest they go swimming just so they clean up. :) I wish my house was spotless all the time, but I'm giving up and realizing that with 5 little people home all day every day, that's just not going to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 OK - for the most part you all are decidedly unhelpful. But I do love you for reminding me that I am not alone. I think I will try a milder version of a shock collar and make them all wear obnoxiously gaudy necklaces that say "Leave No Trace". Thanks to Scouting, they ALL know what that means. You could try singing the Barney song over and over and over until they are done cleaning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 You could try singing the Barney song over and over and over until they are done cleaning? Oooo Or play the song from Frozen. Or Justin Bieber. I know, that is way nastier than the Barney song! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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